Educational software [Fwd with permission]

[Douglas Loss <dloss@csrlink.net>]

The continuing forwarded discussion of Linux educational software.

Michael A Hamblin wrote:
> 
> On Fri, 27 Mar 1998, Douglas Loss wrote:
> 
> > Michael A Hamblin wrote:
> > It occurs to me that there are two separate concepts here for
> > educational software--canned educational programs on the order of
> > "MathBlaster" or "Where in the World is Carmen San Diego?", and
> > authorware programs to allow educators and interested parents to create
> > their own educational programs.  For the first, I doubt that it matters
> > to the end user what they're written in, so long as they run properly.
> > For the second, a simple, clear scripting language is probably required,
> > and a graphical, click-and-drag design app would probably be very
> > helpful.
> 
> That's true and I didn't explicitly state a difference between the
> packaged software and the toolkit.  It might matter to the user what they
> are written in though... because if the machine is easy enough for a kid
> to use (or anyone else who may not be proficient in UNIX) then there is
> most likely someone administering the machine who does care :)  Plus there
> is the quality factor, "This program was created with the xyz educational
> widget" which says it's going to have multimedia (sound events, music,
> quality graphics, mouse interface).  After all, `man` is definatly
> educational software :) Also with the toolkit, you would only download the
> data files and scripts, not have to reinstall the whole toolkit each time,
> and so Jonny could download the latest Wilbur the Gimp in Wilburworld and
> run it without worry about asking the admin/whoever to install it.
> 
> Just a bunch of bindings that tie together the existing software and add
> new functionality so that anyone can write good looking software.  If such
> a system already existed for instance, despite my current lack of
> understanding about the vector/bezier thing, Xwin programming, my lack of
> understanding about sound system interfaces, I could write a nice well
> polished piece of software.  In whatever language I wanted (ie perl :)
> 
> > > For the video system, vectors with beziers would be nice because they
> > > would allow scaling rotation and sprite changes fairly simply.  It should
> > > be set up so that a sprite can be a collection of sprites that can be
> > > changed quickle (to control blinking eyes and other facial features, a
> > > tapping foot, canceling variables in equations, etc). <snip>
> >
> > Do tools for non-programmers to develop these exist for Linux?  As I
> > said before, to develop canned programs it may not matter, but for the
> > educational and home user we probably need something on the order of
> > HyperCard.
> 
> Well, the only vector-graphics program I know of is xfig and I don't see
> non-programmers using that much :)  If it had a nice interface, it could
> be applied somehow.
> 
> Also there are several people developing programs simliliar to Power Point
> which use line-art.  Maybe if someone is developing a line-art widget that
> can be applied :)
> 
> I probably didn't answer your question very directly :)  I'm not familiar
> with HyperCard...

-- 
Doug Loss                 The more you observe politics, the
Data Network Coordinator  more you've got to admit that each
Bloomsburg University     party is worse than the other.
dloss@bloomu.edu              Will Rogers